Him and not me
by icclenomi
Summary: Rodney and his twin were in a nasty car accident as children, what if it was Rodney, and not Liam who died? ch4 up r& r
1. Prologue

**COMPETITION**

**This is an idea i had on holiday, I have written one chapter of a story and it's up to everyone out there to finish it, one chapter at a time, until i decide to bring it to a close. I'm not sure how successful it will be, but you dont know until you try...**

**After each chapter is put up you will have about 48 hours to send me your chapter (unless there are no other entries by that time in which case it's when I get one) and the one I like the best will be posted and you credited. My intention is an AU story. I will explain that at the end of the chapter. You can send entries to vesanus (underdash) puella (at) hotmail . com under the subject- McKayAU. happy writing, good luck.**

_Neither boy saw it coming until the driver slammed down on his brakes, but by then it was too late and they were thrown into darkness._

_Liam opened his eyes to see the hospital, his parents and older sister by his side. His head pounded and his arm was broken and in addition, his body was one big bruise._

_"Where's Rodney?"_

_"How are you?"_

_"Where's Rodney?" He got panicked, where was his little bro?_

_"He's having an operation."_

_"What kind?"_

_"He was bleeding inside."_

_"No!"_

_That was one way it could have gone, it was the way theparents wanted it, not the other way round._

_"Liam's heart stopped a few times during surgery, unfortunatly despite our efforts we were unable to-"_

_"No! Not my Baby!_

_"I'm sorry Mr and Mrs McKay."_

_Rodney woke up on their- no his- eleventh birthday, it was a month since the death of his twin. He dressed around the cast that held his arm and went downstairs. He knew how his parents felt- they wished that he had died, instead of his twin, he found that even he wished it sometimes. When Liam was alive he was the one their parents loved- hegot all the good stuff- intelligence, courage, looks and health, he made all of their decisions, he was who Rodney strived to be. Now that he was gone, Rodney's parents came to resent him for surviving what Liam could not. It was for that reason that he turned to music._

"What you thinking?" John asked Rodney.

"What the world would be like if it was me and not him."

"Huh?" Rodney paled at what he'd let slip.

"What?"

"Who? If what were you?"

"Doesn't matter...kid stuff."

"Rodney..."

"My brother-"

"You never said you had a brother!"

"'Had' being the operative word."

"What happened?"

"He died," Rodney sighed,"he was always in charge, 'I'm older' he'd say, 'yeah by a minute' I'd say, 'Still. Do you even want to be in charge?' and I'd reply, 'No. But it would be nice to be considered."

"You're a twin?"

"My parents couldn't stand that I survived the accident but he hadn't. they would always compare me to him- If you were Liam..." Rodney trailed off. "how about lunch?"

"Rodney?"

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"Mmm Hmm, I just wondered...

**And now folks, the starting point of the story is what would have happened if it was Rodney who was killed and not Liam. I would like this to include the other characters of the series of course, remember- Liam is as smart or smarter than Rodney.**


	2. Opportunity Cost

**Him and Not Me**

_Thank you to the ONE person who sent me a chapter two, luckily it's a good one. Please send in a chapter 3, I don't particularly want to have the same author for more than one chapter at a time. This is by Mew-Xena. Thanks._

_CHAPTER TWO_

_Opportunity__ Cost: The cost of an alternative that must be forgone in order to pursue a certain action._

"Ready Rodney?" Liam called over his shoulder, as his nimble fingers finished off the bow. He could barely keep his wide eyes off the ice ahead of him, the orbs glinting though with eagerness or cold, it could not be decided. Wind played fiercely with his chestnut hair and nipped his taunt checks red.

_There is no such thing as opportunity cost._

"Yes, that's a yes, I'm ready." Liam ducked his head to hide the grin. He glanced sidelong as his twin brother skated smoothly behind him. The same eyes smiled back at him, aqua where his were deep, deep navy. Ice shifted under them as fishermen drove across the ice. Skating swiftly, the two boys flew alongside one such truck, ice chips spraying from their feet.

Mark Johnson chuckled at the boys, glove covered hands relaxed at the steering wheel. His maroon truck slid along the frozen tundra, white rain dancing through it's environment.

It was then that Mr. Johnson spotted the patch.

_For each decision, another dimension is born, different paths where each choice is selected._

It loomed up ahead, the water flirting along the ice edge, tantalizingly. Simple instincts told Mark that if he crossed that patch, he would be swimming with the fish. Now his hands gripped the steering wheel. The racing beat of his heart echoed through his head. Yet, somehow, he forced himself to breath. Hazel eyes flicked frantically from side to side.

The only way to survive was to turn. But the two boys, the two laughing, care free boys, fluttered at the edge of his window. They skated, one on his right, one on his left, unsuspecting.

But…there! On his left, the lad was quicker. Mark's only hope was to slow down enough to turn after him. His feet itched to slam the brake, even as his panicking mind sent images of the maroon vehicle flipping over.

Mark turned, but it wasn't slow enough.

The vision of those aqua eyes, wide in horror, would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life.

_Dimensions where wars may be fought._

Liam only had enough time to see the truck turn before his skate caught hold of a rough spot. The ground rushed up to meet him, and on the horizon of his vision, Liam could see his brother, and the red death that flowed like water.

_Worlds may be destroyed._

Paramedics found Mark Johnson, slumped over the steering wheel. With all the speed that experience brings, they unbuckled him and rushed him to the ambulance.

A young boy was found to the right of the car, his chestnut hair stained with blood. Now fueled by more then experience, the trained professionals could only work. Work and pray. It was with great joy that the cut was found to be shallow.

_Plagues may wreak havoc._

"Hey! We have another one over here!"

_Heroes may succumb to dark temptation…_

Liam awoke to strange faces. Ghostly voices whispered to him, offering comforts, gifting solitudes, but skirting around the true question.

"My…brother…"

The ghostly face hesitated then shook his head.

_Or die._

"RODNEY!"

**_Whoo! Get sending._**


	3. the tenth of december

Him and not me

no one wants to so i'll finish the story but feel free to send me a chapter if you like, and i'll incorporate it in.

ch3

**Present Day**

"Liam! Hey, McKay, wait up." John jogged down the corridor to meet up with the scientist. "What's up with you today? You seem a bit...off."

"It's nothing...just this personal thing...Sorry, am I bad company?"

"No, it's just, if there's something wrong you can tell me."

"I know. It's fine. Did you want something?"

"What? I can't just see how a friend is?"

"Lemme guess, you want to play with something anchient, but you need me to check it's safe and doable?"

"It's not a big thing this time, I swear! I only...seriously, Liam." Liam's head was filled with Rodney. It had been twenty-five years since that day, twenty-five years since his brother was alive. Jeannie hadn't taken too long to get over it, but she hadn't been as close. Liam couldn't force Rodney to the back of his head, especially not today." Liam? OI! MCKAY!"

"Huh? Nothing's wrong! Lets go find Teyla, see what shes up to yeah?"

"mm 'Kay." John's eyes followed Liam, he would find out what was bugging him.

**1980**

_"Rodney! Hurry up or we'll leave without you!"_

_"I'm hurrying! I'm hurrying!"_

_"We're going, boy."_

_"No! wait for me! Please! I'm almost ready!"_

_"Dad! Come on, wait for Rodney."_

_"It'll be better for him if he doesn't come. You know what he's like."_

_"Dad!"_

_"I don't want a boy going sick on me in the wilderness."_

_"Please!" Rodney hurried down the stairs, stumbling on the last step. "I'm okay! Wait!"_

**Present Day**

"The second ZedPM is nearly completly depleted. We can't postpone the mission for much longer."

"We still haven't determined stable relations with the natives of Theremis yet."

"Well, we could look elsewhere while we build them."

"See what you can do, Liam."

"Will do, Elizabeth."

"So, McKay... wanna tell me what's bugging you yet?"

"It's personal, Major."

"Alright...well, i'm here."

LMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLRMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMLMRMLMLMLMLM

_"Come on, Liam! Lemme have a go!"_

_"Nah, you'll probably break it."_

_"I won't!"_

_"Fine. Look, record, play, rewind, forward, stop."_

_"Cool. what are you gonna do with it?"_

_"I got a couple a ideas..."_

"What you listening to? Kids?"

"John! You made me jump."

"Sorry. What you listening to?"

"Personal item."

"Could I listen?" Liam mulled over the idea before giving in.

"Sure." he restarted the track. It had been a long time since he'd transfered the tape onto numerous cds to ensure it's survival.

_"Recording one. seventh of November 1981. Liam KcKay." _John smiled at the sound of the ten year old McKay.

_"What you doin' Liam?"_

_"Go away, Rodney.""Come on, Liam! Lemme have a go!"_

_"Nah, you'll probably break it."_

_"I won't!"_

_"Fine-"_

"Who's Rodney?"

"My brother."

"I didn't know you had a brother. Older or younger? I'm guesing younger."

"Yeah, by about a minute. You would have believed it though, he looked a full year younger."

"You're a twin?"

"Yup."

_"You will never- hey! How come I have to be the bad guy?"_

_"Because, Rodney."_

_"That's not an answer."_

"Were you always that bossy?"

"Mm. The dominant twin or something."they listened through five recordings of radio plays and songs the boys had made up before one came up that stood out remarkably.

_"...ding six. ten...tenth of December 1981. It's me...liam. I'm going to play you this when I'm alseap...so that you can hear my voice. You got to keep fighting, Rod. I dont care what they say, you can make it. look, I know I'm...stronger than you...but I'm not strong enough to lose you... I mean ther was that time that..."_

"What happened?" John asked, all traces of his smile now gone. "To rodney?"

"It was an accident. We were skating."

_"I mean come on... You just owned up to this giant crime thingy and they don't beleive you did it." _the voice of the boy gave of a quiet chuckle_. "So, I need you to be there to say that sort of thing when I do something bad, yeh? Then you can say you did it...but they wont beleive you, or they won't punish you...unless it's dad, but i'll sort him out for you. so you gotta-"_

_"Li..."_

_"Rodney?"_ A noise was heard, presumably the tape recorder being dropped. _"Rodney, what's wrong?"_

_"I...I..."_

_"Rodney?"_

_"It hurts bad, Li..."_

_"I know it does but you gotta- Rodney! Somebody help, there's something wrong!"_ John walked up to the CD player and paused it. He somehow knew what happened next.

"Liam. You okay? come on, I'll take you to see dr Beckett, you dont look so good."

"I'm fine. I just need to grab a bite to eat is all."

"Sure. Okay." John followed Liam as he walked towards the mess.

**_So people at home. If you feel like writing a chapter feel free, otherwise just drop me a review, yeah? Cheers._**


	4. Joe Littlewater

Him and not me

This story will now be co-authored with Mew-Xena. This is nomidemoogle's chapter.

ch4

**1982**

There was one particular incident in school that would never be forgotten. It was the semester After Christmas and Liam's injuries had more or less Healed; He walked with a slight limp, but that was about it. He had walked to school by himself for the first time. When he got to the School yard he was confronted by one Joe Littlewater; one of the school bullies.

Now Joe had been on holiday for the past month and had not heard about the accident. When his friends realized what he was about to do they try to tell him what had happened- terrorising a boy who's brother had just been killed was too far- but before they could it was too late.

"Where's your loser brother today? Too scared to come back to school?" Liam's knuckles whitened by his side.

"Don't talk about my brother." He warned.

"Why Shouldn't I?"

"Joe, don't." one of his friends urged.

"You going soft on Me, Henry?"

"Really. Don't." Joe pushed Henry to the floor Then turned back to face Liam.

"What? Did He land himself in hospital again?" Before Joe knew what was happening he found himself on the floor with Liam on top of him, battering his face with his fists. He'd gotten five or six solid punches in before the teacher, Mr. Appleby, saw what was happening. He pulled Liam off by the waist still kicking and screaming.

"Liam, calm down now!"

"Don't…Talk…about...Rodney…Ever…"

"Shh," Liam's screams melted into tears as his body shuddered and went limp. Mr. Appleby cradled the sobbing child as he turned to the rest of the children. "Everyone, apart from you five" he indicated Joe and his friends "Will go inside, now."

_please continue reviewing._


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